Eligible client receives family planning counseling in Bareilly.
Master coaches trained by The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in Bareilly – a city in Uttar Pradesh, India – consistently use TCI’s data for decision-making intervention to review the progress of family planning programs.
During a recent review meeting led by master coaches, it was noted that despite the district women’s hospital (DWH) handling a monthly average volume of 300 deliveries and 40 abortions, the utilization of postpartum family planning (PPFP) and post-abortion family planning (PAFP) services remained insufficient. Moreover, deficiencies in record-keeping practices were identified, leading to inaccurate reporting on PPFP and PAFP uptake.
Recognizing these shortcomings as missed opportunities, especially given the high demand for family planning during the postpartum and post-abortion periods, the master coaches collaborated with TCI to take action. They decided to present their findings to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and request permission to conduct a comprehensive orientation for all DWH staff, aimed at fostering a supportive environment for family planning services amidst the high workload.
Consequently, a Whole-Site Orientation (WSO) session was organized at the DWH in Bareilly to address these issues and enhance the provision of family planning services. Dr. Pushpa Lata Shammi, the Chief Medical Superintendent of DWH, shared what happened as a result of the WSO:
With case studies and other practical examples, we oriented the entire clinical and non-clinical staff of DWH on postpartum and post-abortion family planning services. Soon, we observed a marked improvement in the staff’s working practices, as proper record-keeping and regular HMIS reporting started. The staff nurses sounded more confident in providing family planning counseling and services to post-abortion clients, which wasn’t happening before.
We now ensure PAFP clients are treated with respect in addition to the appropriate assistance they need. I consider counseling to be the most crucial component of any family planning program. We are focusing on providing quality family planning counseling by maintaining confidentiality, explaining how proper use of contraception provides a solution to unwanted pregnancies, providing informed choice, and addressing the queries of clients to bust their myths and misconceptions.”
In fact, after the WSO, Dr. Pushpa started paying extra close attention to the data related to the number of deliveries, abortions, and patients accepting family planning. She now makes sure family planning data reports are made on time and are accurately reported in the HMIS. Because of the these efforts, the percentage of women accepting a family planning method at the Bareilly DWH after an abortion has grown from 33% in 2020 to 83% in 2022.
Change in the number of post-abortion family planning acceptors at Bareilly DWH.
